New Subject Matter and Welcome to the Moderators

[Guest DaveG]

Sam & Mrs. Mike:

This topic has been tossed around for about a week now. I believe it its time that we have an open forum on this subject. I expect that it will be handled with respect and love as has everything else has been.

I called on the Lord many times over the last week. After communion, I sat in my pew, bowed my head and cried. I had this vison that I would not see many of these people again and I became so very scared. This was a first for me with lung cancer, as this was the first time I honestly thought about death, my death.

I have tried to feel so spiritually in tune with my lord and savior, but today the tune was not there. I felt so afraid and so alone, then my wife put her arm around my slouched shoulders and it all came back.

I have been thinking about death more now, since being restaged to Stage IV. I have about a 4% chance of surviving, but that's better that 1% or 0%. It was so hard when it from 90% to 4%.

I am now, truly in God's hands. I'm along for the ride.

I have called upon you two to moderate this forum, along with I. I believe that the three of us have so much to offer this subject, indiviually and jointly.

God be with both of you.

[gail]

Thank you for putting this together. I have thought about this for weeks. God and I had a lot of talking to do after the lung cancer. I really thoguht he had it in for me, as this was my third cancer. I woke one night in the hospital, and three people were standing and looking at me. I asked them why, and they said I had stopped breathing and was turning blue.

Once home, I opened the Bible, for the first time in a long time, and started reading Psalms.

I cried a lot too, anywhere and anytime. I saw the minister the day before the surgery, and he prayed for angels to stand around my operating table. I liked that.

We had a healing service last year at church--I was waiting the results of a CAT scan following a suspicious xray. I became hysterical, and left that day. This year I made it through the service with flying colors.

I keep rejoicing every day I awake. Too many people do not have the inclination to do so. Too many people leave their house and never return.

God Bless

[Sam'swifeShirley]

Dave,

I am truly honored that you have chosen me to help you and Shannon with this. I'll do my best.

God has truly blessed me throughout this life and I pray every day that there will be ways for me to be a small blessing to others. This will hopefully be another way.

I'll write more later.

[kimblanchard]

Everything Sam said - goes ditto for me.

God has always been a real and present "person" in my life. I trust Him beyond all measure and know when everyone and everything else will fail me...He will not.

There is a great deal of power in prayer because God has seen fit not to "move" without our prayers. It is an awesome responsibility that we should not take lightly!

Remember - We have not - because we ask not!

Sometimes the answer is yes....sometimes the answer is no....sometimes the answer is WAIT.....but there is ALWAYS an answer.

Love and hugs!